The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation held a workshop on Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in the North-Western Mediterranean sub-region. This workshop was organized with the IUCN Freshwater Biodiversity Unit (FBU), based in Cambridge (UK), and brought together about 20 freshwater biodiversity experts from European scientific institutions and governmental and non-governmental agencies at the National Museum of Natural History in Madrid (Spain), from 17 to 20 November 2015.

IUCN is currently leading a project to assess the status of freshwater biodiversity and identify freshwater KBAs across the whole Mediterranean basin Hotspot. These KBAs will provide resources that are essential for guiding decisions on the conservation and sustainable management of freshwater biodiversity in this highly threatened region.

The designation and validation of these important sites for biodiversity involves collecting and using information from freshwater biodiversity conservation assessments and mapping the distribution of every species of freshwater fish, mollusc, dragonfly, damselfly and aquatic plant present within the area.

KBAs had not previously been identified in the north-western part of the Mediterranean Hotspot, an area that covers all of the Iberian Peninsula, southern France and most of Italy. In this workshop, freshwater biodiversity experts defined KBA boundaries, validated the species composition at each KBA site, identified threats, noted the potential conservation/management actions that are needed (and those that are already in place), and identified potential stakeholders ('site champions') who could undertake conservation work or monitoring at the sites.

For further information: Catherine Numa

Photo: Zannichellia - ©A. Ivorra